In the last two months, there have been multiple robberies of businesses, mainly banks, convenience stores and food establishments. Most of the robberies occurred at night. In some cases, the suspect acted alone, and in other cases, with an accomplice. In many cases, the suspects carried handguns or rifles. At this time it is unknown whether the weapons are real or replicas. We ask the public to assume that they are real and to never confront a suspect.

Investigators are following up on leads but have not made any arrests yet; however, we are asking for the public to be vigilant. Be aware of your surroundings while in parking lots and at stores. If your instinct tells you that something is wrong, get out of the area and call 911. If you have any tips or information that can assist us, please call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or the Criminal Investigation Division 768-3609.

If you're a business owner, make sure that people can see into your business, especially at night. Don't obstruct windows with large posters, and position your service counter so that it's visible from the outside. Try to balance the interior and exterior lighting so that employees can see what's happening outside the store at night. Invest in a good security camera system and always have someone available who is trained to retrieve video footage. Investigators frequently lose valuable time because they have to wait for the employee who knows how to download video.